You may have read our blog posts about all the different Whites and Blacks and now you are wondering about the other colors as well? Or you are just curious about what sets the paint brands apart besides just the price?

Facepaint.com sells more than a dozen different brands of face paints, so which one to choose for your kit?

After 5 years of face painting I realize how much “learning money” I paid, simply because I had to learn my brands and test what works for me and why. How many pots of paint did I give away because the paint did not work for me or for the application I purchased it for? How many times have I been disappointed by a high quality brand but positively surprised by a value brand?

How many times was I confused if I asked in a forum for advice and got so much information but still not specific enough to decide what I needed to purchase? So many facts are to consider beside of just the color, price or the look of the container? There is consistency, smell, opacity, blending ability, staining, smudging, storage stability, you name it!

Either way, don’t look any further; the following chart is what you were looking for. The Facepaint.com bloggers put together all our years of knowledge to make it easier for you and we hope this chart helps you choosing the right brand for the right application. We are also delighted to offer sampler packs of different brands of paints, so you can try out on your own!

Happy Painting!
Manuela

Comparison of Face Paint Bases

Most of our face paint brands are glycerin based, which generally stay very comfortable on skin after application compared to wax base. They are ideal for blending and not widely used for line work. Second commonly found paints are wax based, which tend to dry faster and stay longer than glycerin based paints and are popular for line work and layering. Acacia Senegal Gum base found in brands like Global and Kryvaline Creamy line, is known to provide adhesive and skin conditioning effects.

Cream based paints are easy to apply directly, stay smooth on skin, and have longer drying time. Powder based paints can be applied dried or wet depending on specific application. When applying dry, apply a very thin layer of primer on skin before applying powder. An alternative for primer is to wipe the area with a wet wipe, which will leave enough residue to hold the powder. Mix with a mixing liquid and apply for durable applications resistant to sweat.

Alcohol based paints are popular for professional applications, outdoor events etc as they tend to be waterproof and sweatproof and can be used in pool parties etc. Alcohol based paints are mostly intended for airbrush applications.

Grease basedpaints are extremely durable formula used by professionals and clowns. Harder to remove than face paints, grease makeup is not generally used by face painters. Grease paints do not dry and should be set with a setting powder and after use requires oil based makeup removers for removal.